Tchernyshev to apply for Canadian Citizenship

[SkateFan4Life]

Here's the link from Skate Canada spokespeople making it official - Peter Tchernyshev will apply for Canadian citizenship so that he and Shae can compete and represent Canada in the 2006 Winter Olympics.

http://www.canada.com/sports/skating...7-7AA45E051C71

If I recall this correctly, Tchernyshev gave at least one lengthy interview in which he expounded on the "honor and privilege" of obtaining United States citizenship.
There were references to liberty, freedom of expression, opportunity, and a number of the other aspects of being an American. And now, that Naomi Lang has left the sport and he needs a partner - presto (!) - a change of allegience.

So much for the "virtues of American citizenship". All this guy cares about is grabbing opportunity for himself. :(

And what happens if his partnership with Shae-Lynn dissolves and he joins up with, say, a Japanese ice dancer. Will he attempt to obtain Japanese citizenship.

Quite frankly, I think Shae-Lynn has won enough honors as an eligible skater.
Peter, too, has had many opportunities as an eligible skater. There are plenty of talented, young Canadian ice dance teams that are comprised of Canadian citizens. Give these young people the chance to skate!!

Give me a break.

[pennyfromheaven]

ITA SkateFan...if you read my other posts however you will see that I said my sources clearly state that Naomi has not willingly left the sport nor has she willingly retired. She very much wants to begin skating with Peter again and wants to go to Torino. She did not end the partnership as the media proclaimed. HE is the one who ended the partnership, just as he is the one who ended his marriage and his other partnership with Sopia Eliazova. He was not in need of a partner when he paired up with Shae as the media and his agent would like us to believe, he still has an American partner who wants to skate. Yes SkateFan I have to say I also agree with what you posted that what he cares about is grabbing opportunity for himself, and if after SL he should find a Japanese partner, he would certainly be trying to become a Japanese citizen next! Well now it sounds as if I am bashing him, that was not my intent! Just trying to clarify. I do enjoy his skating by the way!

[Linny]

Perhaps Penny has different sources. I'm just going by what was televised on USA tv - Naomi said that she had left skating and returned because her fans encouraged her to.

And as far as the comment "And what happens if his partnership with Shae-Lynn dissolves and he joins up with, say, a Japanese ice dancer. Will he attempt to obtain Japanese citizenship", well, blame the stupid rules, not the skater.

Linny

[terisalyn]

HE is the one who ended the partnership, just as he is the one who ended his marriage and his other partnership with Sopia Eliazova. ..... Well now it sounds as if I am bashing him, that was not my intent! Just trying to clarify. I do enjoy his skating by the way!

And if it sounds like I'm bashing Naomi, that's not my intent - but SHE is the one who missed the 2002 season due to her ankle, then didn't get it taken care of after the COI tour. Just as she is the one who decided to take a break from competing for the 2003 season, then decided just weeks before Nationals to come back on her still-untreated ankle. And just as SHE is the one who took a "maternity leave" this summer! I'm not faulting these choices - it is her life to do with as she wishes, but certainly she can't expect her partner to put his career on hold indefinitely when obviously her heart isn't 100% into competing like his seems to be.

We all make choices in life, and some choices rule out other things. As nice as it would be to be able to "have it all," it usually isn't possible.

[CanuckSk8r]

I agree with terisalyn....

With Naoimi chosing to not take care of her body as necessary to be a top athlete and then chosing to start a family, how long is Peter supposed to wait for her to chose to come back?

[chuckm]

Has anyone considered that maybe what Peter was aiming for all along was an Olympic medal, and that Naomi recognized that it wasn't going to happen? Maybe Naomi just got burnt out after concentrating on nothing but skating for 6 years and then being passed at 4CC and Worlds by a younger team (B/A). Maybe what was a life's dream for him had become the impossible dream for her.

[hockeyfan228]

Has anyone considered that maybe what Peter was aiming for all along was an Olympic medal, and that Naomi recognized that it wasn't going to happen? Maybe Naomi just got burnt out after concentrating on nothing but skating for 6 years and then being passed at 4CC and Worlds by a younger team (B/A). Maybe what was a life's dream for him had become the impossible dream for her.

I think the point is that it doesn't matter what Lang was thinking or feeling or wanting; it was her behavior -- injury not taken care of, pregnancy -- that showed that she wasn't committed to an Olympic run, and Tchernyshev is doing what he needs to do to get there.

[Joesitz]

As I stated so many times, I am not against Peter for changing his citizenship in search of gold. That is his business and the business of Canadian immigration.

I take issue with all this nonsense about the fault of the split lies soley with Naomi. She's not the first skater to get pregnant, and there have been skaters who resume skating afterwards. I believe some posters feel that Peter must be protected from those who think that he should share in the split; that he is above reproach for changing citizenship; that he is a victim of life's happenings. That is the way I read some of these posts. Much of what is said is pure conjecture, imo.

I can conject too, I think Peter knew all about the pregnancy long before the Nats and since he knew that B/A were on their tails, a story about the ankle was made up. He knew as well as she that their partnership was over, He knew he needed what he perceived as a better partner, but it was too late to eliminate the Nats. His plan to take up citizenship in Canada began when he had a discussion with SL. Others knew about it too, and thought it was purely for SOI. Then came the citizenship thing which is not required for show people. hmmm.

I think the above is as valid as all the nonesense I read about Naomi. Bottom Line: No one knows what transpired before Nats, during Nats, after Nats. We can only assume and protect Peter from any wrong doing. Just blame Naomi for the whole change of partners. Why not? This topic will be over when the big stuff starts.

Joe

[hockeyfan228]

I take issue with all this nonsense about the fault of the split lies soley with Naomi. She's not the first skater to get pregnant, and there have been skaters who resume skating afterwards. I believe some posters feel that Peter must be protected from those who think that he should share in the split; that he is above reproach for changing citizenship; that he is a victim of life's happenings.

I don't see why there's any fault involved. Like any other relationship, if both partners don't want the same thing and don't show the same commitment through their actions, it's up to each person to decide whether s/he wants in or out, and if both don't agree to be in, there is no partnership. It is certainly Lang's right to have a baby whenever she wants to, to have or not have surgery whenever she wants to, or to want or to not want to skate with Tchernyshev any more, and it's certainly Tchernyshev's right to decide what he wants for himself for whatever reason, and for Bourne to decide whether he's worthy of her trust.

[boggartlaura]

It takes two to tango. Most likely, both Peter and Naomi contributed to the split.

[Joesitz]

I don't see why there's any fault involved. Like any other relationship, if both partners don't want the same thing and don't show the same commitment through their actions, it's up to each person to decide whether s/he wants in or out, and if both don't agree to be in, there is no partnership. It is certainly Lang's right to have a baby whenever she wants to, to have or not have surgery whenever she wants to, or to want or to not want to skate with Tchernyshev any more, and it's certainly Tchernyshev's right to decide what he wants for himself for whatever reason, and for Bourne to decide whether he's worthy of her trust.

I go along with everything you say except what I read as an implication here:

or to want or to not want to skate with Tchernyshev any more

I don't think she ever said she does not want to skate with Tchernyshev anymore. If that is the supposition, then we could easily say that Tchernyshev does not want to skate with Naomi anymore as well. That's my point we don't know the whole story. We are, imo, too excited about Peter dancing with an Olympic Gold medalist, and we don't want to know the whole story. If a question of Naomi comes up, we just find her at fault.

Peter can do what he wants. Posters have a right to question the method, but I would suggest we leave the rationale for the split alone.

Joe

[euterpe]

Joesitz: "We are, imo, too excited about Peter dancing with an Olympic Gold medalist"

Shae is not even an Olympic medalist, let alone GOLD.

[terisalyn]

I think Peter knew all about the pregnancy long before the Nats...

Since the baby was born in August, that would be quite a trick...and I assume you haven't been following L&T's careers in the news these past few years, since the story of Naomi's ankle injury has been in the news since it first caused them to withdraw from the GP in 2002. That's hardly conjecture. Nowhere in my posts have I presumed to say that I knew what the skaters were thinking, or that I know what's gone on between them. Anything I've said has been reported in the media by reputable sources, or stated either by Naomi or Peter in interviews. (And yes, I know how info is "spun" sometimes.)

My post was in response to penniesfromheaven, who seems to think that Peter should have sat out this spring and summer waiting for Naomi to give birth and then decide whether she wanted to continue skating. I think that's an unreasonable expectation, whether that's what Naomi expected, or whether it's just what penniesfromheaven THINKS it's what Naomi expected. (OK, now I'm even confusing myself...)

Joe, dear, it's not about blame. There is no "fault of the split" to assign to either partner. I don't "blame" either of them for making decisions that reflect what they choose to do with their lives. Everyone does that. And if your partner and you don't agree on the direction you should be heading, you split and find another partner.

I am a big fan of Naomi AND Peter. While I'd love to see both of them skate, and prefer to see them skate together, whatever they choose to do is OK by me. And as far as the jumping citizenship issue goes, visit over at FSU. Sometimes when I'm over there, I forget that USA and Canada are two different countries!

[dmr65]

It takes two to tango. Most likely, both Peter and Naomi contributed to the split.

Thank you...

[diver chick]

Exactly! Plus it is my understanding that they did not have the easiest of partnerships in the first place - making it even more likely that they both contributed to the split.